A title unification bout will take place in New York City this weekend, as Joe Smith Jr defends his WBO light heavyweight title against WBC and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev. Something will need to give at the Hulu Theater, and you can find the latest offshore odds for the huge light heavyweight bout right here.
Before Betting On Boxing Smith Jr vs Beterbiev
This will be a huge challenge for Smith Jr this weekend, as he looks to successfully defend the WBO light heavyweight title for the second straight fight. The American won the title back in April 2021, as he beat Maxim Vlasov by majority decision in Oklahoma. He later successfully defended the title earlier this year with a TKO victory in the ninth round against Steve Geffrard.
However, Smith Jr’s professional career hasn’t been without its setbacks, as he has been beaten on three occasions in the 31 fights that he has had. The most recent of those came for the WBA light heavyweight championship back in March 2019, as he was beaten by Dmitry Bivol.
Beterbiev will be the biggest test that Smith Jr has faced during his professional career, as he will need to avoid the hard-hitting shots that the former European champion will be looking to land. His dominance in this division is clear from his professional record, as he has won all 17 previous bouts by stoppage or knockout.
He has been the light heavyweight champion since November 2017, where he beat Enrico Kolling in the 12th round by knockout. He later added the WBC light heavyweight title following a victory against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019.
Boxing Smith Jr vs Beterbiev Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Joe Smith Jr | Artur Beterbiev |
|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | +500 | -800 |
| Bovada | +500 | -900 |
| BetUS | +500 | -800 |
| SportsBetting.ag | +500 | -800 |
| Pinnacle | +450 | -672 |
| MyBookie | +500 | -700 |
The odds certainly see the reigning WBC and IBF champion as the clear favorite this weekend. We find it difficult to oppose Beterbiev, and would be keen to take the -672 offered by Pinnacle. We could see the favorite ending the fight within the distance.
